Gaming device



fi'an. 12, i954 W STElG GAMING DEVICE Filed March 15, 1951 IN VEN TOR.

tual @las Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y l Wimmsieianew roxanne Applicationl March 15, 19515,.Serial-'Nb'i 2f1'5',"121.iv

This invention. relates to:y gaming-g paraphernalia. and more particuiarly: is; directed to a portable: hand-manipulated score makingand' score indieating device of improved. construction.

Among; the objects of; the: invention is to:- provide a portablehandi-manipuiated scoring" and ind-icatingvv device of the character described which shall: comprise fevv and? simple parts:y forming a unique compact; structurev capable of withstanding`v rough treatmentwithoutbecoming operatively defective, whichV shall provide; a score: making and. indicating means; providing continuous interest to the players, which. shalt be2 relatively' cheap to manufacture; which shalfl be extremely simple to manipulate forv making' and indicating scores at'- tained', andwhich shall belpractical and emcient to a high degree in-use Othery objects of this invention willL in part be obvious andi in, partv hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination ofV elements', arrangement of parts which vvilll be exemplied' in the construction hereinafter described and of which thescope/ ofapplicationwill= lie-indicated in the claimsfollowing'..

Inthe accompanyingdrawingi'n-Which possible illustrative embodin'ientsl ofy the invention are shown, A

Fig. 1 is a front elevationalview of an improved portable-hand manipulated gaming device constructed to embody the inventionfin a normallyv upright positionbefore-indicatingthe score', partl'ybroken aWay'to-expose they interior of'` the flask bulbous portion thereof? proved" gamingdevice shown in an inverted position with respect 'tothat appearing in Fig. 1 for indicating a score intheflask neckportiompartly broken away to expose the interior construction thereat.l Y Y i Fig.. 3..- is a cross sectionalv view taken onlines; 3--3 inFig, 2 through thefneck, portionAA off the fla-sk, and` f. i

Y Eig. 4.-, is ay reducedl front, elevational viewf of.y the improved gaming deviceA showing,y ae. bandi grip. on theask neck portionfor; manipulating the device when in a normal position. as shown in. -1 prior to effectuatingl a scoreindicating position as shown in Fig. 2; the position ofthe scoring ball elements; being indicated dotted lines con cealedby the opaque of. .the-.nask portion.

Referring in detail to the drawing IIJ denotes a portable hand manipulated score making and score visually indicating device constructed to embody the invention. Said device I0 may com- -Claims. (Cl. 213-1144) prise a. rigid, lflollovv7 structure: formed of: com-,- nierciallyvavailable molded or'blownmaterials as: for examples a plastica resin enclosing a group. of, scoring elements;` H: of;y any suitable, kind such as hollow` orf solid. balls; Asshown in Figs. l and l said hollow structure includes abulbousior'funnelbody` shaped portion I2' formed with a attened Wall portion 12a; provided. to terminate one; endv andservingaszazbase: for said structure when supporting thei latter irranormal nprightiposition on horizontal surface S. Said device I0 insaid normal upright position has ball elements Il only partially occupying, an, enclosedl space or mixing, compartment- .t-Zb off said funnelrbody portion, t2., said group of balls Il being accumulated. on the interior sideof'base. I 2.0,.

Also forming said rigid structure, thereis provided an elongated tubular hand-grip neck por-- tion i3" extending out from funnel-body portion I'Z. Said neckportion. I3, may be, formed so. as to. terminate at an end ofsaid structure in diametrically opposite relation with. respect to; said base. |32a, with ay at. foot, [4, which is positioned in. spaced relatively parallel, alignment with respect. tasaid base 12a.

Foot M may be suitably sized, shaped and of, a thickness to provide areliable steady. support for device Hl when the latter is in anupstanding inverted position with. said foot, |14' resting, on. sur.-`

. face S asisclear fromFig. 2.

Inord'er to strengthen the rigidity of the structure forming device IU-, said' wall'j section I`Za' and f joot M1, or either' ofthem maybe formed' with set back surface portions I2d' and lilla, respectively; Whichprovi'dereinforcing-rimlediges I2e= and' |413; respectively; extending about" the peripheries ofV each off said surface portions tZd and.' 14a;

Theflatterf may beutilized tocarryI desirabledata, such as directions fori playing withy device IU- or scoring' intelligence: Said` rim ledges |26v and Mb not' only strengthen said structure of devicelllf but also serve toshieldsai'di datav carriedi by surface portions I-2`d:l and" Illa; or'either of' l them,4 frombeing mutilated in either use'..tiiereofi Tubular neck portion I-3Phas a through' passageway, ISbcommunicating; at"v itsI innerv end openingV 113m with compartment |1125; off funnel-body perdon r2'.

As' here shown, playinga game with device I"0`, iifteenl ballelements H' may be employed in said compartment i251 Cif' these fteen, seven may4 be colored White, as shown at Ila, seven colored black, as shown at Hb, and one colored red, as shown at llc. Device I0 may be grasped by neck portion I3 with the latter extending in a. normal upward direction removed from a rest position on surface S shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A player may, if so desired, shake device I to mix the relative positions of the ball elements I I. The device I0 is then inverted from said normal position so that the neck portion I3 extends to produce a score and indicating thereof, that is in downward direction for resting foot I4 on surface S as shown in Fig. 2. In said inverted position a plurality of ball elements I I will ow into passageway I3b and will be visible in a single row in neck portion I3.

When it is desired to use device I0 in developing skill, wall I2 of said compartment may be transparent to permit a player to observe and by shaking arrange the relative positions of the ball elements II in some degree of choice before said inverting manipulation. However'if chance is to determine the score making, that is, which iive ball elements I I of the fifteen group will pass into neck portion I3 and the distribution of color arrangement, wall I2 may be treated to make it opaque thereby screening or concealing the mixed arrangement of ball elements II after said shaking of device I0.

Scoring may be based on statistical possibilities or permutation and combinations of said various color arrangements. For example scoring may be agreed upon in accordance with the following table:

Points Quintet, five balls of one color 50 Quartet, four balls of one color (in sequence) 15 Quartet, four balls of one color with red ball 150 Twin Duet, two pairs of same color (separated) 10 Twin Duet, two pairs of same color with red ball 100 Trio-Duet, full house 5 Black-White, two pairs of two colors 2 Black-White, two pairs of two colors with red ball 20 Trio, three-of-a-kind 2 Trio, three-of-a-kind with red ball Pair or Duet 1 Pair or Duet, with red ball 5 Solo Red, no other combinations in neck 1 After each scoring, device I0 is turned back to said normal upwardly extending direction position of neck portion I3 and said base l2a seated on `surface S. The scoring making hand manipulation can then be repeated as described above.

When the game is played by two or more persons, and where there are four or a greater even numberV of contestants, the scoring may be credited for team plays in the well understood manner. It is to be noted that the above scoring table is merely suggestive and the credited points may be varied to conform more closely to calculated or empirical observed chance combinations.

It is also contemplated vto play with device III with many other variations of scoring, as, for example, making the red colored ball element when appearing in neck portion I3 either a liability or an asset. Or, if desired, by providing a device I0 for each player and a ve ball element score making means for each device I 0, using a socalled poker playing version as an interesting positive in which pairs, three of a kind, full houses and flushes determine the point count.

In playing the device I0 an increased interest surprise as in playing the above described poker version may be provided by holding the hand H in eiective gripping position directly after score making or provide an additional contest of guessing before taking the hand H away to expose the score indication in the well understood manner.

It will thus be seen tht there is provided a gaming device of the character described whereby the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be madein the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A portable hand inverting score making and indicating game device comprising a structure having a hollow bulbous portion being formed with a I'lat base to terminate one end thereof, an elongated transparent hand grip tubular neck portion of at least a length to receive the palm of the hand of a user extending from said flask portion formed to terminate at an end diametrically opposite to said base with a flat foot extending in spaced parallel alignment with respect to said base, said foot and base serving to selectively support said structure in relatively upright positions on substantially horizontal surfaces, and a plurality of scoring elements enclosed in said hollow structure movable from an accumulated group in said bulbous portion into said tubular neck portion for visibly indicating a score on inverting the device from a supporting position on the base to that on said foot, at least said bulbous portion being made opaque to conceal said accumulated group of balls therein, the bore of said tubular neck portion being sized with respect to said scoring elements to accommodate at least ve of the latter for viewing therethrough and concealment by said palm of the user. y

2. The portable hand inverting score making device defined in claim l in which said foot and base, each have a setback data-carrying surface portion and a reinforcing rim ledge extending about the periphery of each surface portion;

WILLIAM STEIG. v

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 143,599 Twamley Oct. 14, 1873 1,536,716 Kade May 5, 1925 1,674,866 Klein June 26, 1928 2,000,419' Sarber May 7, 1935 2,216,526 WatsonV Oct. 1, 1940 42,256,922 Bottome Sept. 23, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,239- Great Britain 1908 

